Promise
by Isis Lied
Summary: AU Akane Tsunemori makes a contract with a demon to help find her parents' murderer. Unfortunately for the demon, Kagari, he becomes more of a babysitter then a feared demon. "For the last time, stop pulling on my horns!"
1. Chapter 1

Promise

A/N: Hello everyone! Welcome to the prologue of Promise, an AU fic which will center mostly around adorable child!Akane and demon!Kagari trying to live under the same roof. But, don't worry, there is an actual plot, I just need lots of fluff, ok? Also, I want to credit cherryblossoms86 for helping me with this story. I'm very scatterbrained and I always need someone to help me sort out my thoughts, so thanks again! Please drop a review if you get the chance and tell me what you think!

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters of Psycho-Pass (although I wish I did).

…

Chapter 1- Prologue

-I'm a hostage to my own humanity-

The sky is dark and the room is quiet when her prayers are seemingly answered by a bright-eyed boy crashing through her window. The child is startled, but not frightened by the visage of a strange man in a long coat. Wide eyed and curious, Akane reaches for the man, bare feet padding against the wooden floor. The stranger shakes pieces of glass off his coat, cursing loudly.

As she walks closer she notices two small ivory bumps on his head, curved and sharp. They grow into full out ram horns, one side containing a jagged line down the middle. The child reaches out, grasping onto one of the horns. It is smooth in her grip and she giggles.

"H-hey kid, stop that!" He pushes the child back gently, keeping her away from the broken shards of glass.

"If you can see the horns and," an arrow tipped tail emerges, flickering in the soft glow of the moon, "the tail then you must be my contract."

"Contract?" The child tips her head to the side, still intent on grabbing onto his horns again.

"Gah, stop! It's pointy! Dangerous, understand?" The girl nods slowly, returning her arm to her side.

"Geeze, my first contracts a kid? No matter…" The man bows, placing his hand over his heart.

"My name is Shusei Kagari and if you agree, I can help find your parents' murderer."

"You'll help me find who hurt mama and papa?"

"Yes. But, I need something in return. Your soul, to be exact."

"Soul? Are you a demon, mister?"

The man sighs. "Yes. When you die I'll take you to He—"

"Deal!"

"But I wasn't done yet!"

"No worries!" The brown-haired child smiles, reaching up to pat the man's head. "I think you're lying about the demon part. You've got to be an angel! I've been praying every night for God to bring me someone to help me find the person who hurt my parents!"

"Listen, kid—"

"My name is Akane Tsunemori and I'm almost eight years old!" The girl pouted, cheeks puffed up.

"Well I'm a demon and over three-hundred years old. Listen, this agreement cannot be taken back. It's final."

"Ok. I still say yes!"

The man feels the urge to face-palm but settles for a sigh, returning to the broken window.

"Fine. Contract accepted. I'll be back in the morning, Akane-chan. Until then, rest, and I'll figure everything out later." The demon jumps through the window, landing on his feet. He smirks, looking at the awe-struck girl.

"Ok, my mister fake demon!" She waves enthusiastically at the fleeing boy, laughing when he clumsily trips at her statement.

"I am a demon!" He yells back, disappearing into the night.


	2. Chapter 2-Uncle Makishima

Chapter 2- A Visit From Uncle Makishima

A/N: Welcome to chapter 1 of Promise! Yay for fluff! If you get a chance, drop a review and let me know what you think! Thanks!

…

3 months later…

Ever since that night, the pair had been inseparable. The demon was now her legal guardian (to which he told Akane he used 'magic' to allow him to adopt her) and spent many sleepless nights watching over her. It was strange at first (Kagari knew next to nothing about what humans needed to survive), but they eventually became a little make-shift family.

…

"Good morning, Akane-chan!"

"Morning, Shuu-kun."

The girl rubbed her eyes sleepily, slipping off the coves and running towards the man. He received her warmly, giving her a quick hug before pushing her towards the bathroom. He chuckled, ruffling her hair.

"Go take a bath and I'll cook breakfast, ok, kid?"

No! I don't wanna!" She snuggled against the man, little fingers clutching onto his coat.

"Akane, you need to take a bath. I'll cook you pancakes if you do what I say."

"Fine!" the girl replied cheekily, begrudgingly walking towards the bathroom door.

"I'll hand you your clothes later. Make sure to scrub behind your ears!" He yelled out, walking down the stairs.

"Okay!"

…

The girl walks down the stairs to the smell of pancakes. She giggled and crept up behind the man, tackling him.

"Hey—be careful, I could accidentally drop this on you!" He gave a goofy grin, pretending to drop a plate of pancakes on her.

"Nooo!" She laughs, tugging on his apron (which, courteous Akane, was hot pink).

The pair sits at the table, Akane taking large bites out of the chocolate-chip pancake. Kagari reads the newspaper, dividing his attention between the articles and the hungry girl.

"Anything interesting happening at school today?"

"Not really… I've got a math quiz though." The girl wrinkles her nose, obviously unhappy about the thought of math.

Kagari chuckled, flipping the page. "If you do well I'll take you out for ice-cream..."

"Really?"

"Yes, kid! Ah, look at the time! You'll be late to school, come on, time to walk to the bus."

The girl nods, picking up her empty plate and putting it in the sink. Grabbing her backpack she opens the front door, looking back at the demon expectantly.

"What?"

"Can you… walk with me today?" She looks up at him with puppy dog eyes, lip quivering.

"…Alright, let's go."

"Yay!"

She grabs his hand, leading him out the door. The pair walks down the sidewalk towards the bus stop, the girl humming a little tune. His tail flicks languidly in the heat as the bus stop comes into view. He squints his eyes, shielding them from the bright sunlight.

"Bye, Shuu-kun! I'll see you later!" She pecks him on the cheek, walking up the steps of the bus. It drives off, the man waving until the vehicle rounds the corner and is out of sight.

"Never thought I'd see you so soft, Kagari-kun."

The man spins around, a growl escaping his throat.

"Makishima, what are you doing here? This is _my _contract."

The white haired man chuckles, clasping the demon on the back.

"Come. Let's go back to your house."

…

"I've grown tired of Hell. It's the same every day. Everyone is alone. Everyone is empty. I want to stay on Earth for a bit, see if there is something different in these… humans."

The orange-haired demon cocked his head, staring at the man as if he grew a second head (to store his inflated ego). "So, why are you telling me this? Last time we 'talked' you had a razor pressed against my throat."

The topaz eyed demon laughed, closing the book in his lap. "Let bygones be bygones, friend. I misjudged you; I thought you were another low-ranking demon looking for a quick ticket up the totem pole. To have a seat next to the Devil; frankly, I was sure you'd be stuck in Hell forever. You can imagine my surprise when I heard you were allowed to make your first contract! So, congratulations!"

Kagari huffed, crossing his arms. "Why _are _you here, Makishima? Surely not to rub your fifty contracts in my face (even if I know you want to). Whose your poor victim this time?"

"My contract's name is Choe Gu-Sung. He's an escaped prisoner. He wants revenge on the people who framed him for murder. It's funny, isn't it? He's going to kill someone for being accused of killing someone."

A jingle at the door startled the pair, causing the orange-haired demon to curse.

"Shit, it's already 2 o'clock! I usually wait for her at the bus stop and walk her home. Go hide or something!"

Makishima raised an eyebrow, taking another sip of his tea.

"Just do it! I'll shove you in the cupboard if I have to! Or better yet, the oven…"

"Fine… since I'm doing this you have to let me stay at your house for a bit."

The man strolled off into the kitchen, opening the pantry door and shutting himself inside.

"I never agreed to that!" Kagari hissed, running towards the door. He pulled it open to reveal a sobbing girl.

"K-kagari, I thought you forgot about me!" The girl wailed, hugging the man fiercely. She clung to his stomach stubbornly, the man rubbing her back warmly.

"I'm sorry, Akane… I met with an old friend and lost track of time."

"You're all I have now, Shuu-kun…" the girl rubs tears from her hazel eyes, cheeks flushed pink. The demon looked down at the crying child, ruffling her brown hair. Crouching down he tips her chin upward, smiling. "Cheer up, Akane-chan, I won't leave you." He brushes a few stray tears away from her face, laughing as she cries harder.

"Y-you big meanie! I thought something happened to you! I was so scared!"

"No worries, kid! I'm a demon, remember? I can't die!" 'Well, it's not a complete lie… it is pretty hard to kill a demon.'

"Really?" she sniffled, looking up at the orange-haired youth.

"Yes, you silly head! Come on, I… have someone I want you to meet."

A laugh came out of the pantry.

…

"Uncle… Makishima?"

"You may call me that, sweetie." The silver haired man reaches for the girl. She runs behind Kagari, holding on to his pant leg.

"Shuu-kun, he's kinda scary. His horns are like devil horns."

"Akane, mine are like a rams."

"But rams are cute!" She huffs, looking out from behind his leg. Shougo takes a cautious step forward, white tail flicking out from behind his back. He grinned widely, showcasing a row of perfect white teeth.

"Kagari's told me a lot about you, Akane-chan. I heard you like to read."

The girl nodded her head eagerly, running to her backpack. Fishing out a chapter book she preceded to show it to the demon.

"Reading long chapter books at your age… wow, I'm impressed Akane. What's your favorite genre?"

"I-I like mysteries…" she mumbled, looking down at her shoes.

"Hmmm…. Me too. Would you like me to read to you some time?"

"Would you? Kagari only likes to read comic books!" she stuck out her tongue at the orange-haired demon.

"H-hey, I read the newspaper too!"

Makishima laughed. "If it will annoy Kagari, then sure!"

"Now I'm being bullied by the both of you, I'm hurt!" he pretended to cry, turning away from the pair.

"N-no, Shuu-kun, I was just kidding! I like when you read me comic books too!"

The man smiles, ruffling her short, cropped hair.

"I know, silly." He pokes her nose playfully, eyes shifting towards the bright red 'A' sticking out of her backpack.

"Is that your math quiz, Akane?"

"Yep! I got a perfect score!"

"Good job!" he pulls her into the air, the girl giggling as he ran across the room holding her.

"Let's go get ice-cream!" He sets her on the couch carefully, minding the horns on his head. She noticed his hesitation, pulling on them.

"Is Uncle Makishima coming with us?"

The gold eyed demon smirked, walking up to the two. "I've never had ice-cream before… it would be an interesting experience."

"No, stay here. Or better yet, get out of my house—"

"Shuu-kun, please! He's never had an ice-cream before. It would be mean to leave him here!" She pouted, not letting go of his horns.

"…Fine. But, if you pull any stunts Makishima I swear to God I'll—"

"Yay! Come on, Uncle Makishima!" She released the orange-haired demon, running over to Shougo. She grabbed his arm, beaming at the older man. He chuckled, allowing the girl to lead him out of the house.

Kagari snorted, rolling his eyes. He was _definitely _not jealous. Nope. Not at all—

"Wait for me, Akane!" He ran out the door, waving for the pair to stop.


	3. Chapter 3- Of Detention and Foxes

Chapter 3- Of Detentions and Foxes

A/N: Hello, everyone, to the third chapter! I promise more character will be introduced (no matter how much I love this little trio) and a time skip is eminent. Anyway, if you get the chance, drop a review please and tell me what you think! Also, was anyone upset about Kagari's 'unexplained' death in the anime? I mean the only one visibly shaken was Akane and it was left so open-ended that it was really upsetting. Kagari was my favorite character and I really related to him… so when his 'death' was swept under the rug (and some thought he betrayed the team) I was not happy. At least give him a grave, geeze! Until I see his body actually dissolving I'll always hold onto a shard of hope that he's still alive somewhere, lol. Also, in episode 16, at the very end, when you see his eyes staring into the blast from the Dominator, it looks like a reflection until the last few seconds where it looks like his eyes actually turned blue, as if he pulled the trigger on his own Dominator (did he actually drop/ pick up his gun at any time?). Sorry about the mini-rant, I hope you enjoy the chapter! Also, thanks again Cherryblossoms86 for all the help on this chapter! I really enjoy working with you! (Is my love of Blue Exorcist showing yet, lol)

Disclaimer: I still don't own Psycho-Pass

…

The orange-haired demon stretched out his arms, yawning as he rubbed his eyes sleepily. A shock of white hair could be seen in the opposite couch, wool blanket rising in time with the man's breath. He was half tempted to pull the blanket away and push the occupant off the couch, but he enjoyed living a bit too much and decided against it. Walking into the kitchen, Kagari started the coffee maker, eyes flicking towards the clock on the wall. He ran his fingers through his disheveled hair, sighing. He might as well wake Akane up…

"Shuu-kun, good morning!" The girl ran down the wooden staircase, colliding into the surprised youth.

"What are you doing up, kid? Usually I have to shake you a couple times to wake you!"

The girl laughed, snuggling against him. "It's because I have a surprise for Shuu-kun!"

"A surprise, you say? I wonder what it could be…"

"No peeking, ok? Lean down!"

The man obliged, getting down on his knees. Shutting his eyes, he waited. The girl fidgeted with his hair, running her fingers through it and setting four clasps.

"Ok, open your eyes!"

The girl pulled him to the nearest mirror, giddy with happiness. Four blue clips were fastened in his auburn hair, pushing back a few of his bangs.

"Eh, hair clips?"

"I didn't have any money but I wanted to get you something for always being so nice to me… I hope you like them." She fiddled with her hands, looking up at the demon wearily.

"Ahahaha, these are great! Thanks, Akane-chan! I love them!" He pulled her into the air, setting her on his shoulders.

"Now, why don't we wake Uncle Makishima up?" The girl nodded, setting her sights toward the living room.

"Uncle Makishima, wake up!" Kagari set the girl down, allowing her to crawl towards the sleeping man.

Blurry topaz eyes blinked in confusion. "Ah, sweetie, good morning.! Did you sleep well?" He asked, ruffling her hair.

"Yep! I had a funny dream where you and Kagari were married!" The orange-haired demon paled at the statement, walking to the kitchen (away from the conversation).

"Really? How interesting…" He removed the blanket, slipping into his shoes. "Hey, Kagari-kun, what are you cooking for breakfast?" The man stiffened, nearly dropping the frying pan.

"You're head on a platter—I mean bacon and eggs. Akane, go get dressed please. I need to talk to Makishima, privately."

"Ok! See ya later, Uncle!" The girl hopped up the stairs, singing a little song.

The silver-haired demon walked languidly towards the kitchen, smirking.

"You wanted to talk to me, Kagari-kun?" He said his name mockingly, pulling at the other man's tail.

"S-stop that! How long do you plan to stay here? Don't you need to take care of your contract?"

He chuckled, "Choe will manage on his own. I'm more interested in your contract. You've noticed, haven't you? Her soul is pure white, like mine."

"Of course I noticed. Akane's a sweet child; I still don't understand how your soul can be so clear, you're a demon for God's sake!"

"I wonder too…" Makishima's gaze drifted off to the side.

…

"W-what? Akane's been sent to the principal's office?"

"Yes, but she said that—"

The demon slammed the phone shut, grabbing his jacket and running out the door.

…

"Why did you follow me, you idiot?"

"I was bored. Maybe this 'school' will be interesting."

Kagari sighed, walking down the hall at a brisk pace. "Whatever, just don't cause a scene."

"Yes, yes, you have my word." A flash of mischief could be seen in the man's topaz eyes.

…

"You must be Shusei Kagari. Welcome, I am Joshu Kasei, principal of Sibyl Academy."

"Nice to meet you. I heard Akane's caused a bit of trouble?"

The elderly woman cleared her throat, shuffling the papers on her desk. "Yes, it seems Tsunemori-san punched a student in the face. He has a broken nose."

"W-what? Akane would never do something like that."

"Yes, Akane-chan's a good girl. I don't think she could kill a fly." Makishima piped up, resting against the wall.

"Who are you?" Kasei asked, adjusting her glasses.

"A family friend."

"Stay out of this, Makishima!"

"Why? I care for the girl as much as you do."

"No, you don't. Stop acting like you do. It's annoying."

"Still, I'm sure Akane has a good reason for doing this."

"H-hey, don't change the subject. And stop trying to rationalize her actions. Bullying is wrong. You should know that very well."

"I could say the same to you, Kagari-kun. We haven't heard why she did it so we can't jump to false accusations."

"How about you just shut—"

"Are you two quite done? As active parents in this girl's young life you need to act with more dignity." She interrupted, frowning at the two demons.

"Wait, we're not together—"

"Let her speak, Kagari-kun. We apologize for our behavior. It was unbecoming and childish. Please forgive us." The man bowed, a smirk hidden beneath locks of silver hair.

"Right… Kagari-san, it has come to my attention that she was protecting someone. A girl named Yuki was being bullied by another child and Akane stepped in. She punched him when he called her a 'useless orphan.'"

"Oh…" He frowned, crossing his arms.

"So, is she in trouble?"

"This is her first offence so… no. Ginoza Nobuchika, the boy she punched is also a troubled child. His father is in prison so it's not surprising to hear of his involvement. I worry for that child… he has such potential but is wasting it in pain and anger."

"Will he be reprimanded?"

"Yes, but this is probably his last chance. If he acts out again we may have to drop his enrollment. It's sad; he's a bright child who's letting his emotions get the better of him. I heard that Akane is actually giving him a talking to right now."

"Wait, they're in the same room together?"

The woman frowned. "Didn't you see them? They were waiting outside my office… weren't they?"

…

"Ginoza-san, you need to stop this! I know you're a good person at heart, but stop hurting other people! Yuki-chan comes from a poor family and is given help to be able to go to this school but that gives you no right to rub it in her face."

The boy looked away, blushing heavily. "I-I'm sorry, alright? I didn't think she'd start crying… it was just a joke."

"Jokes aren't supposed to hurt people. Ginoza, I know you're upset and you feel lonely—"

He slapped her hand away, standing up.

"You don't understand! My father's in jail! Everyone thinks I'll end up a horrible person like him! How could you possibly understand how I feel?"

"Ginoza, my parents… my parents were killed. I'd give anything to have them back. But, I can't go back in time. Hold on to what you have now, ok?" The girl gave a small smile, holding his hand. Tears began to form in her eyes.

"Akane, I'm sorry—"

The door slammed open, revealing Kagari.

"Akane, what's wrong? Did he do something to you?" He pulled the other child by his collar, eyes glowing red and pupils turning to slits. His horns grew longer, nails growing into talons. A feral growl ripped from his throat, tail lashing wildly behind him.

The girl froze, staring at her guardian. The boy struggled in his grip, kicking against him uselessly.

"Kagari, stop, remember where you are." Makishima gripped his shoulder, guiding the man to slowly let go of the frightened boy. His horns and nails shrank, eyes returning to their natural color.

"S-shuu-kun? A-are you okay now?" The girl still had tears in her eyes, backing away from the man's hand. He brought his hand back, frowning.

"I-I'm sorry Akane. I didn't mean for you to see that. I just saw you crying and he was—"

"I was helping him! He's had a rough life too! He hadn't hurt me; I was thinking about mama and papa and—"

She curled up against Makishima, allowing him to stroke her back comfortingly as she sobbed into his shirt. Ginoza stood wide-eyed, trembling.

"Were those horns? Are you a monster?" He got up on his feet, staring at the pair of demons.

"Sleep…" Makishima commanded, catching the boy before he hit the ground.

"I'll wipe his memories of the attack. He'll soon forget all about what he saw… but, it's strange. Only people engaged in contracts can see demons, I wonder…"

…

The man tossed and turned in the bed, the day's events playing through his mind.

"Damnit." He growled, clutching the pillow tightly.

How could he get Akane to forgive him?

…

Somewhere, a certain silver-haired demon smirked, flipping a page of his book. Everything was going according to plan.

"When will you remember me, Akane-chan?"


	4. Chapter 4- Medicine and Good Night Hugs

Chapter 4- Medicine and Good Night Hugs

A/N: Welcome! Yay for double updates :D Please drop a review if you get the chance and tell me what you think! Thanks again!

…

A series of coughs racked the girl's body. Shuddering, she pulled the covers over herself in a vain attempt to warm her chilled body.

"Shuu-kun… I don't feel so good…" Akane whispered, reaching for the worried man.

"Hey, kid, w-wait a sec, let me get your temperature. Don't sleep just yet, alright?" The brunette nodded, allowing the man to check her temperature with the thermometer. He let out a slight hiss, reading the numbers on the device.

"102.3. You can't go to school today."

"But I have a—"

"No buts, missy! Stay here and rest. I'll cook you some chicken soup later, okay?"

"Fine…" she grumbled, cheeks flushed pink.

"Sweetie, what's wrong?" The silver-haired demon walked into the room, ignoring the obviously annoyed caretaker and went up to the girl. He put his hand on her forehead, frowning.

"She's hot. Give her a cold compress and remove the covers. She'll overheat at this rate."

"Shut up, Makishima! I know what to do! I can take care of her on my own."

"After your latest display of incompetency, I'm not sure I can agree with your statement. You can't even control your own emotions."

The man looked away, embarrassed. "I messed up, alright? I shouldn't have let her see that, I know. But, I thought he had done something and—"

"I-It's alright, Shuu-kun. I forgive you." She gave a weak smile, eyes fluttering closed.

"Hey, kid? Akane-chan? Akane!" He shook her, eyes widening in fear. Her chest rose slowly, puffs of breath escaping her pale lips. He breathed in a sigh of relief, collapsing into the chair. A whirlwind of thoughts cumulated in his mind, becoming a wave of confusion.

"W-what do I do? I don't know anything about human diseases! It's not the plague, right Makishima? Not the bird flu, or cholera—"

"Calm down, Kagari. She's just resting. It's a simple cold. Very human. Very normal. It will go away in a day or two, but until then she needs lots of rest and fluids."

The man nodded dully, shuffling around the room. Being the epitome of a 'mother hen', Kagari swept up the room, pushing coloring books into cubby holes, actual books in the bookshelf, and put all of her scattered clothing in the wash. He would return periodically to check on her, sick with worry as she slept on throughout the day. The demon brushed bangs out of her eyes, smiling sadly. He had forgotten how _fragile _humans were. A breath of life that passes away all too quickly. He chuckled at the thought. He was supposed to take her soul when she died; so why did he care so much for this tiny, frail girl? Hours passed as he watched her sleep, face wrought with worry.

Eventually, she woke up.

"Hello, Shuu-kun." She croaked, coughing into her hand.

"Hey, kid. How are you feeling?"

"A bit better. I'm hungry though."

"I'll cook you that soup I promised, alright?"

"Ok."

"Uncle Makishima will stay here and read to you, ok?"

She nodded, looking at the demon expectantly. He chuckled, picking up one of her chapter books and pulling up a chair. He gave a nod to Kagari before starting to read.

…

"Here, I made you some too, Makishima." He handed a bowl to the silver-haired demon reluctantly, pushing him out of the chair. He dipped the spoon in the broth, blowing on it before presenting it to the child. "Sit up, Akane. You need to eat all of it." She nodded, taking a hesitant sip.

"It's good!"

He chuckled, giving her another spoonful. "Of course! I'm a great chef, after all."

She giggled, pausing to look at the other man. "Uncle Makishima, do you want to be fed too?"

"No, sweetie. It's alright. I'm capable of eating on my own. Try to finish up and I'll read you more of the book, alright?" Akane nodded, eagerly eating the rest of the soup. The demon picked up the two empty plates, smiling at the happy girl. "I'm going to go shower. Makishima, make sure she gets enough sleep."

"You have my word, Kagari."

…

The topaz-eyed demon walked into the living room, yawning. He gazed over at the other man who was towel drying his hair. Beads of water dripped down onto his shirt and he cursed lightly. He looked up at the older demon, giving a slight nod.

"Is Akane asleep?"

"Yes… She wanted me to tell you that she still expects a hug goodnight. But, she was sound asleep when I left the room."

"I'll give her one after I dry my hair."

Shougo sat in the opposite couch, picking up his favorite book.

"Hey, Makishima?"

"Yes?"

"How do you… what does it feel like, when you take someone's soul?"

The white-haired demon paused from his reading, shutting the book. "It's… complicated. You feel all their memories. You live their life in seconds. It can be wonderful, beautiful, painful, all those events wrapped in such a short period of time. But then, it's gone. I guess the best word to describe it would be loneliness. In the time you hold their soul you fall in love. It's painful, to lose them. That's why so many demons rush to capture souls; the loneliness can be fatal."

"Fatal?"

"You do know how demons die? It's the will to live that sustains us. Well, the souls to be exact. If you give up on life you give up on taking souls. Eventually, you wither away to nothing. I can see it happening in you, Kagari. You've never eaten a soul, have you? The crack in your horn, it's gotten larger."

"I-I know, geeze! It's just… I don't want to take her soul. Why couldn't my contract be some pathetic prisoner or something? The kid's just too trusting."

"Well, you don't have to worry about it for a while. I assume her 'wish' cannot be granted until she's older, correct?"

"Yes. But, how do you do it? How do you… how do you kill the person you've grown so attached too?"

Makishima stared up at the ceiling, tipping his head back. He paused for a second, smiling sadly.

"It was difficult, at first. After consuming my first soul I waited three-hundred years. I got so angry with everything that I almost withered away. I would like to lie, to say everything gets better and easier but it doesn't."

…

2 days later

Akane woke up bright and early Thursday morning, free of any signs of illness. Quickly, she got changed and wolfed down the breakfast Kagari cooked for her. She ran into his room, giddy with happiness.

"Shuu-kun, can you walk me to school?" The girl pulled at the sleeping man. He groaned loudly, head buried in his pillow.

"Sorry, kid. I had a rough night. Why don't you ask Uncle Makishima to take you?"

"Ok. Bye, Shuu-kun! Love you!" She pecked his cheek lightly, stumbling out of the room and down the stairs. The girl beamed at her 'uncle', holding his hand as they walked to the bus stop.

…

"Let's see… Ah, it seems like your English teacher, Mrs. Kunizuka, is retiring. I would like to introduce your new teacher, Mr. Makishima." Kasei announced, ushering the man inside the classroom.

"Welcome, class. I am excited to be able to teach all of you." He stared at one awestruck girl in particular, smiling at her.

"Uncle Makishima, you're going to teach the class now?"

"Yes, Akane-chan. But, you have to call me Mr. Makishima, ok?"

"Alright, Mr. Makishima!" She giggled, fishing out the books for his class.

'It's only a matter of time…' he thought, turning around to face the board to hide the sinister grin that contorted his face.


	5. Chapter 5-Trick or Treat

Chapter 5- Trick or Treat

A/N: Hello, my lovely readers! Thanks for the continued support, it means a lot! I want to especially thank cherryblossoms86 for all the help with this story. I would not know where to go with the story if I didn't have your help. Also, I think there will only be two or three more chapters until the inevitable time-skip, so stay tuned…

Disclaimer: I still don't own Psycho-Pass and probably never will. If I had owned it Kagari would never had died and he would have gotten a lot more screen time.

It was that time of year again.

Akane anxiously waited outside the door, playing with the hem of her white dress. Small, white wings poke out from the back of her dress, a little gold halo fixed in her short brown hair. "Uh, Shuu-kun, Uncle Makishima, are you guys ready yet?"

A series of curses could be heard, as well as a loud thud. The girl opened the door a crack, only to excitedly open it all the way, clambering on top of the fallen man. The aforementioned man sighed, running his fingers through his hair as the weight of the child centered mostly on his stomach.

"Why are you on the floor, Shuu-kun?"

"Well, Uncle Makishima pushed—"

"He fell trying to put in the fake fangs." The silver-haired man interrupted, walking out of the adjoining bathroom decked in full Victorian fashion. Ruffles adorned much of the outfit, hair pulled back by a scarlet ribbon. He fastened a silver clasp of his cloak, giving a wide grin, showcasing a set of fangs. Topaz eyes twinkled mischievously as he walked towards the pair, ebony horns growing longer. His tail peaked out from under the cloak, nails growing into full out talons.

"Wow, Uncle Makishima, you look just like a vampire!"

"Thanks, sweetie. Is Kagari ready yet?"

"I dunno… are you ready, Shuu-kun? All of the other kids are probably already outside getting tons of candy!" She tugged on the man's hand, helping him off the floor. Kagari was also dressed as a vampire, a blood red vest and cloak matched with black pants adorning his lithe form. He opted out of all the lace and Victorian-esque features of Makishima's costume, instead going for a more casual look. His hair was slicked back, the four blue hairclips still in his hair.

Dusting off his cloak, the man gave a fanged grin, ruffling the child's hair. "As I'll ever be. Just make sure to stick with either me or Makishima, ok? No running off. Understand?"

The brunette nodded, pulling both of the demons towards the front door. "Yay! I'm so happy you guys agreed to trick or treat with me!"

"Well, I didn't have much of a choice, Makishima was going to tag along regardle—"

The older demon elbowed him in the side, giving a sly grin. "Come on, sweetie. Let's try that house over there, ok? Besides, how could I miss out on my adorable niece dressed up as a little angel?"

The girl nodded eagerly, following after the demon.

…

Two hours later and the two ran into the nearest haunted house, Akane on Kagari's shoulders. They closed the door quickly, looking through the side window as the horde of girls walked in the opposite direction.

"Remind me next time to dress as something uglier, like Frankenstein. I didn't know people were so obsessed with vampires."

"Humans are interesting… I didn't realize how much popular culture could influence their behavior. I'm pretty sure they kept calling you Edward, Kagari-kun."

"S-shut up! From behind, everyone thought you were a girl, that's why you were being chased by all those guys. At least I was being chased by girls!"

"Hey, guys? I'm feeling kinda sleepy… can we go through the haunted house and then go back home? I want to eat some candy." Akane interrupted, signaling for the orange-haired youth to set her down.

"Alright, go on, we'll follow behind." The small child smiled, running through the dark corridors. Even with their keen vision the visage of the girl quickly disappeared, replaced with billowing smoke from the fog machines.

"You idiot! I told you to watch over her carefully! Shit, I hope she's still in the house somewhere!" The two ran through the throngs of people, frantically searching for the missing girl.

"I-I was watching her! It's your fault for allowing her to get out of our sight!" Makishima sounded and looked visibly upset, a cold sweat breaking out on his face. He untied his hair, slipping the ribbon in his pocket as they searched the haunted mansion. Mechanical ghosts and goblins appeared at every corner (which caused Kagari, on more than one account, to break them out of sheer reflex… and horror), hampering their search for the missing angel.

"Akane! Akane, where are you?" They both called out for her, shoving through the crowds. The hallways and corridors seemed to go on forever, parts of the mansion being darker than others. It was if they were walking in frustrating circles. At one point the two stopped in one of the bedrooms to gather their bearings. The orange-haired demon leaned against the wall, panting heavily. He clumsily knocked over a nearby candle, cursing as it hit the curtain.

"Oh shit." Kagari quickly tried to stop the flames, only increasing the fire as he knocked into another candelabra, setting the table on fire.

"Let's find Akane and get out of here… I really hope you have enough money to pay for the extensive fire damage you caused." Makishima chastised, walking out of the fire engulfed room.

"Shut up! What they don't know won't hurt them… well, maybe we should tell everyone there's a fire."

…

Somewhere, the child reached out blindly in the dark, eyes growing heavy. Whatever she was touching was soft, like a bed. She was getting so sleepy… a little nap wouldn't hurt. The child slipped into the contraption, falling asleep quickly. The coffin lid fell into place, trapping the sleeping angel.

"Akane, where are you?" The man coughed, covering his mouth with his hand. Smoke had made its way to the east side of the mansion as the two frantically searched the house. They stopped in the main foyer area, a rush of people running out the front door.

"Looks like they found the fire."

"I really hope no one find out I set it. Besides, it was an accident, not arson… we need to find Akane, before the fire spreads even more."

"Akane's a smart girl. I'm sure she's on her way out. She might even be outside."

"Still, she was really tired…you don't think…" The men rushed through the nearest corridor, calling for the girl.

…

The silver-haired demon walked through the corridor, straining to see in the dark. He heard faint breathing, but was unable to pinpoint where. Smoke was already drifting through the hallway, bright flames peaking through the nearest door.

"Akane? Is that you?" He called out, listening for a response.

"…Uncle Makishima? I don't know where I am, there's something heavy. I think I'm in a box."

"A box, don't tell me…" He rushed towards the mahogany coffin, pulling off the lid. He found the girl, pulling her into his arms. He held her bridal style, breathing in a sigh of relief at the sight of the unharmed child.

"You had us so worried. Kagari-kun accidentally set a fire when he was looking for you. He's outside now, looking to see if you had made it outside."

"There's a fire?"

"Yes, sweetie. Let me hold you so we can run out of here faster, ok?"

…

"Akane? Thank God you're alright." Kagari ran up to the pair, smiling. The brunette wiggled out of the older man's grip, running up to hug the demon.

"Shuu-kun, I'm really sorry! I got sleepy and before I knew it, Uncle Makishima was calling out to me. I'm sorry I worried you guys. I thought you were right behind me."

"Don't worry, kid. I'm just happy that you're safe." He hugged her tighter, cradling her head. They waited as the firefighters put out the fire, giving them the ok to leave. Luckily, everyone had made it out of the mansion alive with minor injuries.

"Wait, where's your candy bag, Akane?" The man was surprised to see no sign of the jack-o-lantern bucket.

"I must have left it when I fell asleep…" The girl looked down, dejected. Kagari chuckled, bending down to be on eye level with the girl.

"How about we go to the convenience store and you can get two bags of whatever candy you want?"

"Really? You mean it? You're not actually mad?"

"Of course not. You're safe, that's all that matters. Besides, it was kinda my fault the house burned down. And, we were supposed to watch over you and we got distracted. It's not your fault."

A police officer walked past the three at that moment, eyes widening in surprise.

"Did you just say you started the fire?" The officer pulled out handcuffs, glaring at the demon.

"Uh… look, a UFO!"

"How stupid do you think I am, kid—" Makishima gave a small grin as the police officer fell to the ground, unconscious.

"I erased his memory of that little… talk. He'll be fine in a couple hours. Let's go get Akane's candy now."

"Wow, Uncle Makishima! You can be really scary sometimes!" The demon chuckled, ruffling her hair. "I am a demon, after all. Come on, let's go to the store." He held out his hand as the girl took it eagerly, pulling him down the street.

"W-wait up you guys! Don't leave me here with these crazies!" The horde of girls had returned, intent on catching the man. Makishima looked back at the demon, giving a devious grin. "Don't worry, Kagari-kun. I'll make sure she gets her candy. We'll meet you back at the house, once you've dealt with your admirers."

The orange-haired demon let out a scream of terror as the girls circled him, grabbing onto his clothing, screeching with glee.

Why was he always the one with bad luck?


	6. Chapter 6- World's Greatest Dad

Chapter 6- World's Greatest Dad

A/N: Ello, everyone! Sorry for the delay in updates, I'm drowning in oneshots (someone help, lol). I also want to thank cherryblossoms86 for all the (needed) help; I truly appreciate it from the bottom of my heart. So, without further ado, here's chapter 6 of Promise!

* * *

The silver-haired teacher walked into the break room, hand curled around his favorite book. Sitting in one of the plastic chairs he pulled out his lunch (courtesy Akane and Kagari), pausing to read the pink sticky-note. He smiled at the childish scrawl; it was something about having a good day and not eating anyone (which, due to his short temper, was an actual concern). If he was alone he would have laughed at the last line:

"Oh, and Uncle Makishima, could we please read Shakespeare in class? I'm sure everyone would understand it, eventually! Although, Shuu-kun still has problems with it…

Love,

Akane (she drew a little kitten next to her name)"

A man's voice broke his train of thought as an elderly teacher plopped down beside him.

"Makishima-kun, are you excited for Parents' Day?"

"…I have heard nothing of it until now."

The other man chuckled, adjusting his tie. "That's not surprising. You never talk with any of the other teachers in your department. Some are beginning to think you're a hermit! Anyway, Parents' Day is a day where parents are allowed on campus for a field day. There will be a series of contests and a single winner will be picked."

"That sounds interesting…" The demon smirked, throwing away the remnants of his lunch. Grabbing his book and sticking the note inside, he gave a curt goodbye to the science teacher, shoes clacking against the tiled floor.

* * *

"Eh, a contest?"

The brunette nodded happily, clambering into his lap. She pulled on his horns as per usual, giggling as he groaned, not even trying to swat her hands away.

"Yep! It's Parents' Day tomorrow! Since you and Uncle Makishima take care of me you guys can participate!"

"I don't know…"

"Please, Shuu-kun! Uncle Makishima already said he'd participate!"

* * *

The two demons stood at the white line, a smirk plastered on both of their faces.

"Don't hurt yourself, Kagari-kun. It would be a shame if something bad happened during the race—"

"Shut it, Makishima! You're just worried you'll lose!"

An intercom broke the two's bickering, calling for all participants to go to the starting line. A group of over forty parents stood near the line as the gunshot went off. The demons quickly made up the front of the pack, glaring at each other. Their horns began to grow, nails turning to talons as they ran with supernatural speed. People in the bleachers watched awkwardly as the pair became a blur, literally running laps around everyone else. The orange blur paused when he realized that a certain brunette child was nowhere to be seen.

Kagari pulled the other demon to a stop, head-butting him roughly.

"W-what the—"

"Not now, Makishima. Where's Akane-chan?"

He frowned, crossing his arms. "On the first lap I noticed her sitting in the bleachers. I never saw her leave, though."

The orange-haired demon face palmed, sighing heavily. Dragging the other demon, he walked off the track, forfeiting the race.

* * *

"Hey, kid, where are you?"

"Akane-chan, are you around?"

The demons paced the exterior of the academy, searching for the little girl.

"This feels oddly familiar…"

"Just shut up, Makishima! This is what, the fifth time we've lost her? I'm surprised we haven't been arrested yet."

They continued their search, passing the large fountain in the courtyard at least thirty times. Stopping near the border of the academy, the pair paused to catch their breath under an oak tree.

"This is ridiculous; she's just seven years old. How far could she have gone?"

"Wait, I do remember something, Kagari!" He exclaimed, running towards the forest.

"What?" The orange-haired youth questioned, following the other demon.

"She said something about talking to Ginoza Nobuchika. Odds are, due to his home life, he'd want to be as far away from the festivities as possible!"

* * *

"Ginoza-kun, are you sure we're allowed out here? I remember principal Kasei saying that the woods were off limits and I'm sure Shuu-kun and Uncle Makishima are looking for me by now…"

"I just wanted to get away from everyone. You didn't have to follow me here, you know."

"But, we're friends and I don't want to leave you alone!"

The boy stopped abruptly, turning around to face the girl.

"Friends? You punched me in the face!"

"I was protecting Yuki-chan! I thought you were a really mean person at first! You always got in trouble with the teachers, never talked with anyone in the class, and you were always frowning! But, I now know you're actually really nice! So, please don't go away! It would be sad if you got kicked out of school!"

"Do you really mean that?"

The brunette nodded her head eagerly, holding out her pinky. "Pinky-promise you won't leave and that you'll be my friend forever!"

The emerald eyed boy blushed, looking away as he locked fingers with her. "I promise…"

A sudden rustling from the trees startled the children, the raven-haired boy stepping in front of the girl. Puffing up her cheeks, the brunette ran in front of the boy, holding out her arms.

"W-whoever's there, I won't let you take Gino-kun away! I mean it!" A familiar chuckle emerged from the woods as a certain silver-haired demon came into sight, jumping down from the nearest branch.

"Akane-chan, Nobuchika-kun, I was looking for you two. The race has probably ended already; you guys don't want to miss out on all the other festivities, do you?" A muffled curse could be heard as Kagari fell from the same tree, landing ungracefully on his, well, face.

"Oww…" he mumbled, picking himself off the ground. The topaz eyed man had to hide a smirk behind his palm as he turned around, doing his best to keep his 'serious uncle face' on.

"Hey, kid, what have we told you about running off? We were worried, you know?" Kagari questioned, crouching down to be on eyelevel of the small girl.

"Sorry, Shuu-kun! I was just following Gino-kun to make sure he was ok. But, everything's better now so we can go watch the rest of the games!" She grabbed the boy's arm, smiling widely. He gave a bewildered look, blushing heavily until composing himself, allowing a small smile to grace his lips as he allowed Akane to lead him back towards the festivities.

The two demons stared at the retreating forms, stunned beyond belief.

"Did she really just—"

"They grow up so fast, don't they, Kagari-kun?"

"S-shut up, you bibliophile!"

"Wow, I'm surprised you even knew a word that big!"

The orange haired man growled lightly, elbowing him in the side. "Whatever, she's too young to be holding hands with boys! I'll curse him later—"

"Let her have some fun, Kagari. She's a good girl. And this Ginoza Nobuchika seems interesting. I would love to see what kind of person he turns out to be. Will he follow the broken path of his father or forge a new one to happiness? _Or will he be swallowed by his demons? _Oh, the complexity of humans…"

The other demon was already walking away, hands in his pocket. He whistled a little tune, completely ignoring the silver-haired man. Smirking, Makishima followed behind, a mysterious glint in his eyes.

* * *

The second contest was once again, a race. The other participants stood wearily at the starting point, keeping their distance from the two demons. Hushed whispers befell the runners until Kasei barked out a command into the microphone, "Alright, everyone. This race is for triple the points. The goal is at the other end of the lake. You can run around it, or, if you want to take the chance, swim through the lake. But, there's a catch. The lake is usually off limits to our students for one good reason: there are alligators."

Laughter erupted from the crowd. "You can't be serious? Alligators? What a joke!"

"Your funeral," she muttered, shooting off the gun. Many took off their shirts and jumped into the lake. Screams soon replaced the laughter as parent after parent swam back to shore, scaly monsters following after them.

"Are you crazy? This has to be illegal—"

"Move." A flash of silver dove into the lake, unabashed by the beasts. He laughed, petting the creatures. What could only be called purrs came from the alligators as the onlookers (including Kagari) watched in abject horror.

"There is no way that guy's human!"

The other demon jumped into the lake, a cocky grin plastered to his face. He expected the monsters to accept him with open arms (err… open claws?), not open mouths. He flailed pitifully in the water, surrounded by a pack of water monsters. "H-help, someone!"

Makishima crossed over the victory line with ease, whistling. The alligators followed his call, beaching themselves on the bank of the pond.

The orange-haired man swam to the other side of the lake, pulling himself up onto the grassy bank. Soaked, he unbuttoned the first few buttons of his dress shirt, shielding his eyes from the sun with his arm.

Akane rushed to his side, hazel eyes wide with worry.

"Are you alright, Shuu-kun?"

He gave a weak grin, ruffling her hair.

"I'm fine, kid. Go back to the bleachers, it's dangerous here. You too, Ginoza."

The boy faltered in his steps, stuttering out an apology before grabbing the girl's arm and pulling her back to the crowd.

"Heh, you've won this round, Makishima. But, I won't lose that easily."

* * *

After a series of races, obstacle courses, riddles, and assorted trivia, only two participants remained (partly because half of the 'participants' forfeited after the alligator incident).

"You ready to lose, Makishima?"

"Ah, you have such a great sense of humor. How does it feel to be second place?"

A woman coughed, adjusting her glasses. "The last contest will be a bit different. We at Sybil Academy take great pride in our academics. For this round, both of you must respond to quotes with another quote, until the other cannot respond. Good luck."

Principal Kasei flashed a knowing look at the silver-haired demon, walking off the podium.

"Alright, I'll start. These set of quotes must not only fit in with what the other person said, but also fall under the category of life or philosophy quotes. Let's see… "every man is a creature of the age in which he lives and few are able to raise themselves above the ideas of the time," Voltaire."

Makishima responded fluidly, "Man's status in the natural world is determined, therefore, by the quality of his thinking," Manly P. Hall."

"Shit, uh… "All I know is that I do not know anything," Socrates."

Kasei raised an eyebrow, but allowed the quote to count. The white-haired man smiled, responding with another quote, "One does what one is, one becomes what one does," Robert von Musil Kleine Prosa."

"You've got to be kidding me! Uh, crap, quotes I know, quotes I know…" Kagari paused, eyes flicking rapidly from the other man to the clock that said he had less than thirty seconds to respond.

" L-live how you live, feel how you feel and fuck all the phonies in your way," Christopher Krovatin."

This roused a chuckle from the topaz-eyed man. "You've done much better than I expected, Kagari-kun. But, this is the end. "Things that matter the most must never be at the mercy of things that matter least," Goethe."

"Damn it, Makishima! How do you even know all these quotes? Uh, "Don't cry because it's over, smile because it happened," Dr. Seuss."

"I should have known you'd quote a child's book at some point. No matter; I will win. "A man dies… only a few circles in the water prove that he was ever there. And even they quickly disappear. And when they're gone, he's forgotten, without a trace, as if he'd never even existed. And that's all," Wolfgang Borchert."

The orange-haired man didn't respond, clenching his fists in anger.

* * *

"I'm sorry you didn't win, Shuu-kun. And that you're not allowed on school campus anymore 'cause you punched Uncle Makishima in the face."

"He was being a smartass, he deserved it—"

A book collided with his face, causing him to let out a strangled cry.

"Mind your language and try reading that. It may help you, next time."

Kagari pried the book off his face, glaring at the title. "_Philosophy for Dummies_! Why you little piece of sh—"

"Please stop fighting!" Akane intervened, wrapping her arms around the youth's waist. The demon let out a sigh, returning to his seat, allowing the child to clamber into his lap. She rested against him sleepily, listening to the beating of his heart.

"Ah, I forgot! I made you something, Shuu-kun!" the girl quickly bolted from her seat, running to her backpack.

"I made it for you after the contest. We were working on making pinch-pots in pottery but I wanted to make something more useful!"

She handed him a clay cup, the words '#1 Dad' etched into the side. She looked up at him expectantly, as he smiled warmly. He picked her up, spinning her around as she giggled.

"It's great! Who needs a dumb trophy anyway? Thank you, Akane-chan!"

The other demon paused from his reading, pulling the bookmark into place.

"I'll be back in a little bit." He rose from the sofa, walking out the door.

"O-ok! See ya later, Uncle Makishima!" Akane waved wildly as he chuckled, closing the door behind him.

* * *

"It's time, Choe. Don't forget about Touma."

"I understand, Makishima-san. I will not fail you. The girl will be taken care of."

The demon gave a twisted grin. "That's what I like to hear. Make sure Touma fulfills his end of the bargain. Demons can hold grudges for centuries, after all."

The man abruptly hung up the phone, walking away from the pay-phone.

"Now, what will you do, Kagari-kun? Demons are almost as fun to test as humans..."

* * *

A/N: I apologize again for the late updates! I've been attacked by school work and one-shot ideas. If you wanna see what I'm working on currently, just check out my profile for news/information. Thanks again for all the reviews; they really help me stay focused and reading them make me really happy :3 I truly appreciate all the kind words!

Until next time,

Isis


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